Are you at risk?

Should I be tested for diabetes?

Anyone 45 years old or older should consider getting tested for diabetes. If you are 45 or older and overweight (see BMI chart), it is strongly recommended that you get tested. If you are younger than 45, overweight, and have one or more of the risk factors, you should consider testing. Ask your doctor for a fasting blood glucose test or an oral glucose tolerance test. Your doctor will tell you if you have normal blood glucose, pre-diabetes, or diabetes.

What does it mean to have pre-diabetes?

It means you are at risk for getting Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The good news is if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce the risk of getting diabetes and even return to normal blood glucose levels. With modest weight loss and moderate physical activity, you can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes. If your blood glucose is higher than normal but lower than the diabetes range (what we now call pre-diabetes), have your blood glucose checked in 1 to 2 years.

Besides age and overweight, what other factors increase my risk for Type 2 diabetes?

To find out your risk for Type 2 diabetes, check each item that applies to you.

	I have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
	My family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.
	I have had gestational diabetes, or I gave birth to at least one baby weighing more than 9 pounds.
	My blood pressure is 140/90 or higher, or I have been told that I have high blood pressure.
	My cholesterol levels are not normal. My HDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) is 35 or lower, or my triglyceride level is 250 or higher.
	I am fairly inactive. I exercise fewer than three times a week.

Source: National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC)